hat the matter of Carry's position was to them of much
greater moment than the wrath of the peer. How were they to put
out their hands and save that brand from the burning? Fenwick, in
his ill-considered zeal, suggested that she might be brought to
the Vicarage; but his wife at once knew that such a step would be
dangerous in every way. How could she live, and what would she do?
And what would the other servants think of it?

"Why would the other servants mind it?" asked Fenwick. But his wife
on such a matter could have a way of her own, and that project was
soon knocked on the head. No doubt her father's house was the proper
place for her, but then her father was so dour a man.

"Upon my word," said the Vicar, "he is the only person in the world
of whom I believe myself to be afraid. When I get at him I do not
speak to him as I would to another; and of course he knows it."

Nevertheless, if anything was to be done for Carry Brattle, it seemed
as though it must be done by her father's permission and assistance.
"There can be no doubt that it is his duty," said Mrs. Fenwick.

"I will not say that as a certainty," said the husband. "There is a
point at which, I presume, a father may be justified in disowning a
child. The possession of such a power, no doubt, keeps others from
going wrong. What one wants is that a father should be presumed
to have the power; but that when the time comes, he should never
use it. It is the comfortable doctrine which we are all of us
teaching;--wrath, and abomination of the sinner, before the sin;
pardon and love after it. If you were to run away from me, Janet--"

"Frank, do not dare to speak of anything so horrible."

"I should say now probably that were you to do so, I would never
blast my eyes by looking at you again; but I know that I should run
after you, and implore you to come back to me."

"You wouldn't do anything of the kind; and it isn't proper to talk
about it; and I shall go to bed."

"It is very difficult to make crooked things straight," said the
Vicar, as he walked about the room after his wife had left him. "I
suppose she ought to go into a reformatory. But I know she wouldn't;
and I shouldn't like to ask her after what she said."

It is probably the case that Mr. Fenwick would have been able to do
his duty better, had some harsher feeling towards the sinner been
mixed with his charity.

CHAPTER XXVII.

"I NEVER SHAMED NONE OF THEM."

"Something must b